


From Pawn to Queen

by Kanako_Hime



Category: The Lion King (1994), The Lion King (2019)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Backstory, Basically a whole lot of fluff, Character Development, Cheetahs, Domestic Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Hyenas, Lion King (1994) References, Lions, Multi, Nature, Nature Magic, Original Character(s), Rebellion, Talking Animals, Teenage Drama, The Token Ancient Wise Dude, Wild animals, Wilderness, Wilderness Survival, silly fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-10-28 14:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20779826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanako_Hime/pseuds/Kanako_Hime
Summary: As a child, Alice Kingsley nurses an injured cub. From an innocent action, her fate changed. The board is set, the pieces ready -  and she is very much unaware of her role in events to come. The first move is hers.





	1. Monday's Child is Fair of Face

Monday at the village of Uzazi meant the same as any other day - most people were up before dawn, fetching water and tending to their animals and crops. Monday meant the start of another school week, where the children and teenagers (and some of the adults, if they were inclined) attended class in the pretty white house by the enormous mangrove tree at the entrance to the village. They learned sums, English, geography, history, and economics - an important asset for a village that relied on trade. Monday meant basket-weaving for the mothers, hunting for the fathers, and every conceivable task for all the children. Monday meant being a few lessons ahead of the children she taught.

But _this_ Monday meant something very special for Alice Kingsley. She rose and washed before dawn, dressed and had a light breakfast, as usual. But instead of getting ready for another morning of teaching, today she shouldered a rucksack, pulled on her shoes and closed the front door behind her firmly before heading into the village proper. A man and a woman stood in what would pass as a town square - where all the traffic of the village would pass through. She grinned and ran towards them, waving a hand.

"Morning Namu, Ekua!" she beamed, sky-blue eyes bright with mischief. "Did you sleep well?"

Ekua, a girl only a year or so older than Alice, rubbed a hand over her swollen belly and frowned playfully at the girl.

"With the devil kicking me all night? I think not!" She huffed. "I will not even start on the baby."

"Your poor husband," Alice snickered as Namunyak chuckled beside her. Namunyak was a respected elder of the village. He had once been a proud, strong warrior, but age had slowed his limbs, and he preferred the challenge of running the village, rather than the challenge of hunting for the village. That task, he left to the younger generations. Now he presided over all matter of issues in the village - from dealing with feuding neighbours to preaching on all spiritual matters. Alice half-wondered if there was anything he _couldn't_ do.

"Remember to be careful," Namu lectured her, as he did every time she poked a toe out of the confines of the village. "Tse will meet you as usual in seven days."

"I know, I'll be there intact," Alice reeled off dutifully. "And anyway, I'm always careful." At the look in the other girl's eye, "That was _one time,_ Ekua! I was a child!"

"You still are!" the pregnant woman cackled before her face creased with worry. "You should stay in the village where it is safe. I worry for you, _mhibu_."

"You know I can't do that, Ekua. I've got friends waiting on me," Alice replied firmly. "Besides, I'm never safer when I'm with them."

"We have noticed," Namu said drily, leaning heavily on his walking stick as he guided the girls through the village to the borders. "You have everything you need?"

"I double-checked - I have everything," Alice said with confidence.

"Must you go?"

"I promised I'd be there," she said simply. "You know what I'm like."

"All too well," the elder grunted, as she hugged him.

"I'll see you in a week, okay?" She moved to Ekua. "And you'd better not have that baby until I arrive, you hear?"

"The sooner it is out, the happier I will be!" the girl chortled as she awkwardly hugged the pale girl, mindful of her baby. "Do not let them be bad to you."

"I'll do my best," Alice grinned, hugging her back before pulling away. "I'd best be off." She waved at the two and then hopped over the fence and dove into the long grass that surrounded the west of the village.

"That girl worries me," Ekua tsked, rubbing her stomach before waddling back in the direction of her home. Namu stayed for a few moments, watching the sun climb ever higher into the sky before sighing and turning towards the village.

* * *

As usual, she wasn't more then minutes away from the village when Etta showed up.

"Morning Alice," she greeted with a smile.

"Etta, I swear you're just looking to scare me to death," Alice complained good-naturedly.

"I can neither confirm nor deny such rumours," her friend countered with a deadpan-expression, falling into step beside her. "Did you do something with your hair?"

Reaching up, Alice ran a hand through the auburn locks self-consciously. "I just straightened it," she said lightly, nibbling her lip. "Does it look bad?"

Etta sighed and nudged her. "Don't be silly. It looks nice. Neater, too!"

"Oi!" She couldn't disagree, however. Her hair was usually a messy mix between curls and waves, tumbling down to just beneath her shoulder-blades and framing her face unless she pinned it back. As straight as it was currently, she could almost sit on it. 

"Want to race?" Etta said mischievously as Alice groaned. 

"Oh come on, you'll just win again!"

"I can't help it if I'm a faster runner!" she laughed, darting ahead.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up!" the redhead grumbled, picking up the pace. Even if she was racing against a cheetah, her pride wouldn't let her give up without even trying.


	2. Tuesday's Child Is Full Of Grace

"Mummy!"

A woman spun around at the voice of the delighted four-year old girl, a smile blooming on her face.

"Alice!" Susan Kingsley cried, scooping up the child and twirling her around before settling her comfortably in her arms. "How's my best girl?" she smiled, tapping her on the nose.

"I missed you!" she pouted, placing her tiny hands on her mother's face. "Where did you go today?"

"I'm sorry, I had to teach my classes," Susan said, dropping a kiss on her daughter's head. "You know how important that is." And indeed it was. Since they had arrived at Uzazi na Upya* more than two years ago, Susan had integrated herself into the community to such a degree that some of the residents had wondered how they'd managed without her. She not only taught the children the basics of reading and writing, she also encouraged them to indulge in art, dance and music. She could often be found at one person's home or another, catching up on the latest gossip, learning to make an interesting dish, or playing with the children. Even the oldest and most stubborn of the village elders, Namunyak, had opened his heart and home to the woman, and by extension, her family. It was quite common now to see the elderly man hobbling around the village with his grandchildren and the Kingsley child around him like a bunch of baby ducklings.

"Alice!" the girl's father called, huffing as he strove to catch up to them. "I'm sorry, darling. She just sped off-"

"It's quite all right, Fred, no harm done," Susan smiled prettily as her husband of several years planted a kiss on her cheek. "Did you have fun today?"

"It was a productive one, but it would've been better if a certain someone had stayed still for a few minutes!" Fredrick Kingsley said sternly, wagging a finger at the pouting child. Fred was a botanist who loved his books and studying specimens, and living in the wilds of Africa provided plenty of opportunities to do that. After Susan had wheedled her way into everyone's hearts, Fred had plodded along after her, as was his way. His knowledge of plants had proved invaluable in making medicines and providing healthy additions to their diets. He may not have had his wife's grace and poise when it came to socialising with others, but he was a steady, calm presence, and he could often be found deep in conversation with the village elders as, even though he was young, he certainly proved to be wise beyond his years, and his council was often sought.

"I did!" the girl cried, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. "But you weren't doing anything, just poking at some silly plant, so I got bored."

"She has you there, Fred," Susan said slyly. "I'm willing to bet that 'a few minutes' was actually 'half an hour' or more."

"I really don't like it that you know me so well," her husband pouted, fixing his glasses.

"I am married to you, you silly man!" Susan laughed, tossing her hair as they all laughed. Glancing at her daughter, she shifted her weight into her left arm and held her right wrist up to the child's face. "Look, Alice. One of my students made it for me."

The child looked at the trinket adorning her mother's slender wrist; a leather band about the width of two fingers and sewn with multicoloured beads in a pattern. "Pretty!" she cooed, little fingers already tracing the pattern.

"Well darling, why don't you have it?" Susan whispered, winking at her husband. "Just don't tell your father, okay!"

At once, her eyes lit up. "Okay!" With deliberate, careful actions, she unwound the bracelet from her mother's wrist until it was in her hands. "I'll take good care of it!"

"I'm sure you will," Susan laughed, brushing a strand of hair away from the child's eyes. Pursing her lips, Susan's eyes landed on her husband as they walked.

"Where was Precious? Surely she could've helped keep an eye...?"

"One of her children was ill, so I gave her the day off. The house was clean enough to wait until she can return," Fred replied quietly. Or perhaps not as quietly as he thought.

"I don't like Ekua," the child said suddenly.

"Alice!" Fred scolded her.

"She's mean and pulls my hair," she frowned. "And doesn't talk to me. Why do I have to play with her?"

"Well darling, have you tried speaking to her?" Susan asked, shushing her husband. "She's only started learning to speak like you, but you've been speaking like her for nearly a year. Besides, she's Precious' daughter and Namu's granddaughter, and you like them both, don't you?"

"I suppose..."

"All right ladies, let's go home," Fred said, taking his wife's hand. "Dinner's waiting."

"What a man I married," Susan laughed, pressing a kiss to his cheek as Alice clapped her hands merrily. They were a perfect, picturesque family.

Little did they know that was all about to change.

* * *

Alice awoke to the sound of someone crying late in the night. Rubbing her eyes, she got out of bed and wandered downstairs to see what the ruckus was, her teddy-bear tucked firmly under her arm. Tiptoeing down the stairs until she was on the second-to-last step, she was surprised to see her father awake at this hour. Her eyes widened at the sight of several of the grown-up men from the village surrounding a palette on the floor, where a bundle was covered with a white sheet. Her father sat at the head of the palette, his back to her.

"I am sorry, Mister Fred," one man said quietly. "We did not expect this."

"Who...?" her father's voice was hoarse.

"Hyenas," another replied scathingly. "They sometimes attack our cattle during dry season, but this is the first time this has happened."

"This...it can't...not again," Fred said brokenly, his hand moving the sheet.

"Not again," a third agreed. "We must discuss with Namu and the elders."

Her curiosity bursting, Alice crept into the room.

"Daddy?" she called softly. The gaze of every man (bar her father) snapped to her, expressions ranging from shock, to disbelief, to horror. "What's going on?"

Her father turned towards her slowly. His eyes were wide and his face (usually a pleasant, ruddy colour) was the colour of ash. "Alice." He swallowed. "Go back to bed, darling. We'll talk in the morning."

"Mm-hmm." She turned, then paused, looking back at her father with innocent blue eyes. "Where's Mummy?"

Everyone in the room froze. The tension in the air was so thick that even Alice could pick up on it - and it made her nervous. Daddy was acting funny again, so she needed Mummy, but she didn't know where she was. She could tell that everyone else in the room knew though. Why were they keeping it a secret from her?

"Daddy?" her voice rose in pitch as her heart hammered against her ribs. "Where's Mummy?"

"Alice-" Fred stood up, his hands out as if he was going to pick her up. Her eyes flew behind him and saw her mother, pale like snow, lying behind him on the palette. The second he stood up, Fredrick realised his mistake as his daughter's eyes widened.

"What's wrong with Mummy?" she whispered. "Why is she so white?"

"Alice, please," Fred pleaded, "Look at me."

"What's _wrong_ with _Mummy_?" she asked again, louder now. One of the villagers shifted.

"We will take her away, Mister Fred," he said, dark eyes landing on the child. "Miss Alice needs you."

They were taking her Mummy away. _They were taking her Mummy away and Daddy was going to let them._

"I don't need Daddy, I need Mummy," she said firmly. Her father's face fell, and the men shuffled awkwardly. "Mummy needs to wake up."

"Go." The word dropped from her father's lips shattered any semblance of calm for Alice. She dove for her mother. Several strong pairs of hands stopped her, pulled her away, pulled her back until a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her. The smell of pipe-smoke dimly registered in her mind that her father was holding her. Ignoring their pleas for her to remain calm, she screamed, "MUMMY!"

"Alice, stop!" he cried, holding his daughter close in a vice-like grip. She fought him like a little wildcat, kicking and screaming as the villagers shook their heads at her in sympathy before picking up the palette with her mother on it and exiting the house.

"Bring her back!" she screeched. "No! MUMMY!"

At last, she was subdued, and as Alice wept and wailed, all she could see was her mother's pale, pale face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Uzazi na Upya: rough translation would be Birth or Renewal, so it would loosely translate to the Village of Renewal/Rebirth. Reasons for the extremely cheesy name will be divulged in later chapters.
> 
> For a while, it's going to be a bit of Alice-filler until we can get into some of my own personal 'fanon', and then another little while until we get into the actual story of the Lion King. Bear with me, and please feel free to drop me a review regarding your thoughts so far!   
Much love, Kanako Hime x


End file.
